DE SR18

Designates March 2024 as "National Multiple Myeloma Awareness Month" to increase public awareness of the disease.

Multiple myeloma is the second most common blood cancer worldwide, affecting more than 100,000 people in the United States with approximately 35,730 new diagnoses and 12,590 deaths in 2023.

The disease causes weakened immune system, anemia, kidney damage, and bone deterioration, and is almost twice as likely to occur in African-Americans.

Multiple myeloma is increasingly being diagnosed in younger individuals in their 30s, 40s, and 50s, though it has historically been most common in those 65 and older.

Greater public and clinician awareness can lead to earlier detection and treatment, improving health outcomes for patients and families while supporting ongoing research and clinical trials.